Roof ventilation system for tiled roof

ABSTRACT

A roof ventilation system for a tiled roof is disclosed. The tiled roof includes a plurality of rafters; a plurality of battens connected directly to the rafters; a layer of tiles supported directly on the battens; and a vent member within the tile layer. The vent member includes an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof. The roof does not include a roof deck under the tile layer.

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY

This application claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/852,633, filed Oct. 17, 2006. The full disclosure of this priority application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This application relates generally to building ventilation and specifically to roof ventilation.

2. Description of the Related Art

Energy efficiency is a serious consideration in building design. Buildings require ways to minimize energy requirements to maintain comfortable living spaces. A focus has been on the insulation of a building. Accordingly, roof designs have been attempted to enhance the insulation of a building.

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view illustrating a conventional roof 100 designed to enhance the insulation of a building. The roof 100 includes a roof deck 102 and tiles 104 to minimize heat transfer between regions above and below the roof 100. The roof deck 102 is typically formed of plywood in a flat shape. The illustrated tiles 104 are formed of clay in a flat shape. The tiles 104 may be formed of various other materials in various shapes. The roof 100 also includes roof supporting structures, including rafters 101 and battens 103. The rafters 101 and battens 103 support the roof deck 102 and the tiles 104, respectively.

Ventilation systems have been incorporated to enhance the insulation of such a roof. The ventilation systems remove heat and/or moisture build-up in the attic, thus minimizing energy losses due to heat transfer through the attic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a roof structure. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a roof is provided comprising a plurality of rafters; a plurality of battens connected directly to the rafters; a layer of tiles supported directly on the battens; and a vent member within the tile layer. The vent member includes an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof.

In accordance with another preferred embodiment, a roof having a ridge and an eave is provided comprising a plurality of rafters; a plurality of battens on the rafters; a layer of tiles supported above the battens; and a vent member within the layer of tiles. The rafters extend substantially parallel to one another between the ridge and eave of the roof. The battens extend substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the rafters. The vent member is supported above the battens. The vent member includes an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof. The roof structure does not include a roof deck.

In accordance with yet another preferred embodiment, a method of providing a roof structure for a tiled roof of a building is provided. The method comprises providing a plurality of rafters. Then, a plurality of battens are connected directly to the rafters. A layer of tiles is supported directly on the battens. A vent member is provided within the tile layer. The vent member comprises an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above and as further described below. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figure, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a conventional tiled roof having a roof deck.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a building with a tiled roof having vent members in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of a roof having a vent member;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the roof of FIG. 3, taken along the line 4A-4A; and

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the roof of FIG. 3, taken along the line 4B-4B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Certain buildings have the conventional roof 100 described above and an attic underneath the roof 100. One of the most common energy losses in such buildings is due to heat transfer through the attic. In warm climates, heat builds up in the attic from solar energy incident on the roof, which increases air conditioning (cooling) costs. In colder climates, moisture builds up in the attic, robbing the insulation of much of its R value, increasing heating costs.

Buildings with the conventional roof 100 described above may have heat build-up in the attic due to the insulation-focused roof design. Therefore, there is a need to provide a roof structure focused on ventilation. There is also a need to provide a ventilation system which minimally detrimentally affects the appearance of a roof design, while offering low installation costs relative to other ventilation systems.

FIG. 2 shows a building 1 with a roof 2 according to one embodiment. The roof 2 includes two fields 3 a and 3 b that are joined at their upper ends to define a ridge 4. Lower edges 5 of the fields are referred to as “eaves.” The fields 3 a and 3 b include a roof supporting structure (not shown) covered with tiles 20 (e.g., clay or concrete). The roof 2 is suitable for having one or more vent members 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. Also, skilled artisans will appreciate that the vent members 10 may be provided in a wide variety of different types of roofs, including those not having ridges or sloped fields. In FIG. 2, a plurality of vent members 10 are positioned on the field 3 a along the ridge 4 and eave 5 of the roof 2. The vent members 10 are preferably provided in each field 3 a, 3 b. In other embodiments, the vent members 10 may be positioned alternatively or additionally on different parts of the field 3 a, 3 b, depending on the ventilation needs.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of a roof 2 having a vent member 10. The roof 2 has a plurality of rafters 30, a plurality of battens 40 over the rafters 30, a layer of tiles 20 over the battens 40, and a vent member 10 within the layer of tiles 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the roof 2 does not include a roof deck. The term “roof deck,” as used herein, generally refers to a panel or material layer positioned across a roof underneath a cover layer (e.g., tiles, shingles, or plates) of the roof. A roof deck is typically supported on underlying rafters while supporting overlying battens. A roof deck typically has a flat or planar shape, but may have various other shapes. A roof deck is typically formed of plywood or sheet metal. A roof deck may be formed of multiple pieces. A roof deck typically extends throughout entire roof, but can have openings for ventilation.

The rafters 30 form a supporting structure for the roof 2. The rafters 30 extend substantially perpendicular to and between the ridge 4 and the eave 5 (FIG. 2) of the roof 2. The rafters 30 run substantially parallel to one another. In certain embodiments, the roof 2 may also include beams extending substantially parallel to and between the ridge 4 and the eave 5. Such beams may be referred to as “purlins.” The rafters 30 may be formed of, without limitation, wood and/or metal. A skilled artisan will appreciate that the configuration of the rafters 30 can vary widely depending on the design of a building.

The battens 40 form another supporting structure for the roof 2. The battens 40 extend substantially parallel to and between the ridge 4 and the eave 5 (FIG. 2) of the roof 2. The battens 40 run substantially parallel to one another. The battens 40 may be formed of, without limitation, wood and/or metal. In the illustrated embodiment, the battens 40 reside directly on the rafters 30. The battens 40 may be secured to the rafters 30 using any suitable securing means. Examples of the securing means include, but are not limited to, a bolt, a screw, a nail, a rivet, and an adhesive. It will be appreciated that various configurations of battens can be adapted for the roof 2. In general, techniques for using battens 40 to support tiles and other types of covering elements are well known.

The layer of tiles 20 forms a cover layer for the roof 2. The tiles 20 are supported above the battens 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the tiles are supported directly on the battens 40. The tiles 20 may be formed of, without limitation, a metal, clay, wood, a plastic material, or a combination of two or more of the foregoing. The illustrated tiles 20 are flat in shape. In other embodiments, the tiles may be M-shaped or S-shaped, as understood in the roofing industry. Details of common M-shaped and S-shaped tiles are disclosed at the website http://www.ohaginvent.com. A skilled artisan will appreciate that the tiles can have various other shapes and configurations.

The illustrated tiles 20 are mounted over and across the battens 40 throughout the roof 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper ends of the tiles 20 sit directly on the battens 40. The lower ends of the tiles 20 reside on the upper ends of other tiles positioned immediately below the tiles 20. A skilled artisan will appreciate that the mounting configuration of the tiles 20 may vary depending on the types of tiles.

The vent member 10 is preferably positioned within the layer of tiles 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the vent member 10 is secured to the battens 40. The lateral edge portions 10 a, 10 b of the illustrated vent member 10 are positioned above the rafters 30. In other embodiments, the vent member 10 may be positioned over a space between two rafters 30 such that the lateral edge portions 10 a, 10 b of the vent member 10 are not above the rafters 30. Spacing between rafters 30 can vary widely among different buildings. In a preferred embodiment, rafter spacing does not affect how the vent member 10 is installed because it is supported only by the battens 40. In certain embodiments, the vent member 10 may be attached to the rafters 30. The vent member 10 may be secured to the battens 40 or the rafters 30 using any suitable securing means. Examples of the securing means include, but are not limited to: a bolt, a screw, a nail, a rivet, and an adhesive.

The vent member 10 preferably forms a portion of the layer of tiles 20. The vent member 10 may be configured to mimic an appearance of one or more of the tiles 20 so as to not detrimentally affect the appearance of the roof 2. The vent member 10 may have substantially the same shape as that of one or more of the tiles 20.

The illustrated vent member 10 includes openings 11 formed therethrough. The openings 11 permit airflow between regions above and below the roof 2. The regions below the roof 2 may include an attic or a living space of a building. The illustrated vent 10 includes louvers 12 as openings 11. The louvers 12 include a number of narrow slits formed in parallel to one another. It will be appreciated that the shape and position of the slits can be varied, depending on the design of a vent member. Skilled artisans will also understand that the louvers 12 can be omitted or replaced with other types of openings. In all of the embodiments disclosed herein, louvers are possible but not essential. The openings 11 may be provided with a screen (not shown) to prevent entry of insects, vermin, and debris larger than the screen openings.

The upper end of the vent member 10 sits directly on a batten 40. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the vent member 10 resides on the upper end of a tile positioned immediately below the vent member 10. A skilled artisan will appreciate that the mounting configuration of the vent member 10 may vary depending on the types of tiles. Preferably, the vent member 10 engages neighboring tiles 20 and/or the battens 40 in substantially the same manner that the tiles 20 engage one another and the battens.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic cross-sections of the roof 2 of FIG. 3, taken along the lines 4A-4A and 4B-4B, respectively. The line 4A-4A of FIG. 3 goes through an edge portion of the vent member 10, while the line 4B-4B extends through a portion of the vent member 10 which includes the openings 11.

Referring to FIG. 4A, the roof 2 includes the rafters 30, the battens 40, the layer of tiles 20, and the vent member 10. As described above, the roof 2 does not include a roof deck. The battens 40 are positioned on the rafters 30 and are spaced apart a predetermined distance from one another. The tiles 20 and the vent member 10 are mounted on the battens 40.

As described above, the upper ends of the tiles 20 sit directly on the battens 40. The lower ends of the tiles 20 lie on the upper ends of other tiles positioned immediately below the tiles. Similarly, the upper end of the vent member 10 sits directly on the batten 40 whereas the lower end of the vent member 10 lies on the upper end of a tile 20 positioned immediately below the vent member 10

Referring to FIG. 4B, the roof 2 includes the rafters (not shown), the battens 40, the layer of tiles 20, and the vent member 10. As described above, the roof 2 does not include a roof deck. The illustrated tiles 20 and vent member 10 are supported directly on the battens 40. The vent member 10 includes the openings 11 which permit airflow between regions above and below the roof 2. Details of the foregoing elements are preferably as described above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4A.

The vent members (e.g., 10) described above may be installed in a roof as follows. In one embodiment, a roof structure including rafters and battens over the rafters is provided. The configuration of the roof structure may be the same as described above with reference to FIGS. 2-4. The roof structure does not include a roof deck. The vent members are mounted on the battens sequentially with other tiles (e.g., 20). It will be appreciated that various other steps or processes may be used for installing the vent members.

According to the embodiments described above, the single-layered roof does not have a roof deck, and thus does not retain as much heat as the conventional double-layered roof of FIG. 1. In addition, the vent member permits airflow between regions above and below the roof. Therefore, the single-layered roof and the vent member, in combination, effectively remove heat build-up. In addition, the vent member mimics an appearance of the cover layer. This configuration enhances the ventilation of the roof without detrimentally affecting the appearance of the roof. Furthermore, the vent member is neither costly nor labor-intensive because it can be installed in the roof in the same manner as that in which the cover layer of the roof is installed. In some embodiments, the tiles 20 engage one another in a manner that is not air-tight, thus providing additional ventilation. In other embodiments, the only ventilation through the roof is through the vent member 10.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow. 

1. A roof comprising: a plurality of rafters; a plurality of battens connected directly to the rafters; a layer of tiles supported directly on the battens; and a vent member within the tile layer, the vent member including an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof.
 2. The roof of claim 1, wherein the vent member is secured to the battens.
 3. The roof of claim 1, wherein the vent member is secured to the rafters.
 4. The roof of claim 1, wherein the rafters are formed of wood or metal.
 5. The roof of claim 1, wherein the roof defines a ridge, an eave, and a field extending between the ridge and the eave, and wherein the roof comprises a plurality of vent members within the tile layer of the field, each vent member including an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof.
 6. The roof of claim 5, wherein the vent members are located near the ridge and the eave.
 7. The roof of claim 5, wherein each of the vent members is located near a corner of the field.
 8. The roof of claim 1, wherein the vent member mimics an appearance of one or more of the tiles.
 9. The roof of claim 1, wherein the vent member has substantially the same shape as that of one or more of the tiles.
 10. A roof having a ridge and an eave, the roof comprising: a plurality of rafters extending substantially parallel to one another between the ridge and eave of the roof; a plurality of battens on the rafters, the battens extending substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the rafters; a layer of tiles supported above the battens; and a vent member within the layer of tiles, the vent member being supported above the battens, the vent member including an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof, wherein the roof structure does not include a roof deck.
 11. A method of providing a roof structure for a tiled roof of a building, the method comprising: providing a plurality of rafters; connecting a plurality of battens directly to the rafters; supporting a layer of tiles directly on the battens; and providing a vent member within the tile layer, the vent member comprising an opening that permits airflow between regions above and below the roof.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the vent member comprises securing the vent member to the battens.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the vent member comprises securing the vent member to the rafters.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the rafters are formed of wood or metal.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the roof defines a ridge, an eave, and a field extending between the ridge and the eave, and wherein providing the vent member comprises locating the vent member near the ridge or the eave.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the vent member comprises locating the vent member near a corner of the field.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein the vent member mimics an appearance of one or more of the tiles.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the vent member has substantially the same shape as that of one or more of the tiles. 